SUBDIVISION OF THE WAIPAWA COUNTY.

Bush Advocate, Volume XIX, Issue 738, 11 June 1907, Page 5

SUBDIVISION OF THE WAIPAWA COUNTY.

. : — ♦ In the discussion of the committee of the Waipawa. County Council, which met on Saturday to consider the proposal to divide the County into two parts, the following figures prepared by the County clerk were presented:— ' , J The: valuation of the four southern ridings of \Mangatoro, Danneyirkej Orriiondv-ille and Norsewood is £774,000;. a low estimated increase of £26,000 being made, on account of Government lands shortly to be added to the rolls making a -total of £800,000. The four ridings of Takapau,. Ruatariiwha, Hampden, and Waipawa, being £904,000, and the. valuation of Waipukurau riding, which it is proposed to create* a separate County is £230,000. The mileage of roads in the four southern ridings is approximately 320 miles, ,. of the five north ridings it is approximately 475 miles. The amount of rates levied in the northern ridings during the past five yeai v s, exclusive , of amounts collected by Road Boards was £21,900, and fox- tlie southern ridings it was £19,---000. The expenditure exclusive of land fund and Government grants was in the north end £27,600 and in the south end £22,700. .During the last year the expenditure in the north end was £5240, against rates received amounting to £5050, whereas the expenditure in the southern ridings was £4280 against rates reeiyed of £4620. An important feature is that of the Government siibsidy which in counties having no road districts is paid on the basis of the total rates received at the rate of 5s in the £, but in counties -where "there are some road districts which are merged and some which." are still in operation, the total amount of subsidy, received in respect of all that portion of the county where there are no road boards is limited to £500, and in re- I spect to the road districts a sum of 10s ih the £ on the road board rate • divided equally beween the road board, and county with practically a 1 maximum of £125 to each body for each. : road district.- As all the Roacl Boards in the county are now merged with the exception of three, the share of subsidy',- on this basis which will be received in future by the Waipawa county unless the remainder merge is about £800. The fate struck last year by the county in the merged districts (and the whole of the southern end now consists of merged districts) was one and five-eighths of a penny in the £ which would produce in the four bush ridings on a valuation of £800,000 a sum of £5416. If the new county were formed the subsidy upon this would be £1354. In the five north ■ridings if a similar rate were levied it would produce £7650, which would earn a subsidy of £1912, whereas if the comity ' continues as at present the whole subsidy would amount to about £800 or a loss over the whole county of £2466 per annum. Even if the rates Avere reduced to a l£'d in the £> which would mean a saving to ratepayers in rates of £1000, as compared with the lfd in the £, the increased .subsidy would provide £2200 more than if present conditions prevailed, so that by paying £1000 less rates the proposed two coiinties would receive £1200 more revenue. Without the proposed division the above benefit would not be so great, even if all the remaining road boards merged as no greater subsidy is payable to a single county than £2500 whatever rate is levied. A special feature so far as the Bwsll ridings arc concerned is the "thirds of rents," which are paid to the local body in respect to the lands opened up by the Crown, other than lands under the Lands for Settlement Act. These thirds which are not pledged for any loans, now amount x .o about £750 per annum, and it is anticipat-" ed when the Piri Piri and balance of Tamaki are occupied, that this revenue will amount to from £1500 to £2000 per year. Taking the above facts into account the committee unanimously agreed to proceed with the introduction of the proposed Bill into Parliament to divide the county.